Cp91l55 
TNl3aJL 


ADDRESS 

BY 

ALFRED   NIXON,    ESQ., 

AT    THE  DEDICATION    OF 

W^t  Confederate  jHemortal 

»aU 

LINCOLNTON,    NORTH    CAROLINA. 
AUGUST  27TH,   1908. 


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&outfjern  &tars  Chapter  ®.  B.  C. 


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Library 

OF  THE 

University  of  NortK  Carolina 

This  book  was  presented  by  the  family 
of  the  late 

KEMP  PLUMMER  BATTLE,  '49 

Presi<l<>nt  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina 
from  1876  to  1890 


Cp91l.5  5-  Nl3.3i.d- 


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ADDRESS 


BY 


ALFRED    NIXON,    ESQ., 

AT     THE    DEDICATION    OF 

tEfje  Confederate  Jfflemortal 

i>all 

LINCOLNTON,    NORTH    CAROLINA 
AUGUST    27TH,    1908. 


$uWt£ffjeb  typ 

^outfjern  fetarsi  Chapter  ®.  fi.  C. 


News  Print,   Lincolnton,  N.  C 


jWemortal  Hall   ©ebtcateb 


tEfiurstoap,  gugust  27tf),  1908 
St  4  ©'clock  $.  m. 


PROGRAMME    OF     EXERCISES. 


Opening  Prayer Rev.  W.  R.  Minter 

Hymn "For  All  The  Saints  Who  From  Their  Labors  Rest." 

Introduction _. .Judge  W.  A.  Hoke 

Address .._ _. A.  Nixon 

Hymn "My  Country  'Tis  Of  Thee." 

Benediction ...Rev.  Robert  McMullen 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/addressatdedicatOOnixo 


introbuctorp  Remarks  pp  Jubge  W.  3.  ?|ofee. 


"I  am  glad  of  the  opportunity 
to  express  the  great  gratification 
we  all  feel  that  this  interesting  old 
Academy  now  passes  under  the 
control  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
Confederacy  and  for  such  a  noble 
purpose,  to  be  used  as  a  Hall  of 
History,  a  Memorial  Hall  in  honor 
of  the  Heroes  of  this  county,  liv- 
ing and  dead,  who  were  members 
of  the  armies  of  the  Confederacy. 

"And  truly  fellow  citizens,  do 
these  men  deserve  all  the  homage 
we  can  pay  them,  as  I  have  hereto- 
fore said  in  this  connection.  For 
four  years  they  carried  the  banners 
given  them  as  soldiers  of  this  coun- 
try in  the  forefront  of  hard  fought 
battles  in  the  army  of  Northern 
Virginia  and  many  States  farther 
in  the  West,  and  never  faltered  or 
failed.  They  placed  the  name  of 
the  good  county  of  Lincoln  high  on 
the  roll  where  all  men  shall  behold 
it  ami  all  time  shall  never  efface  it. 
Wherever  you  go  throughout  this 
great  Republic  you  can  point  with 
pride  to  the  place  of  y<mr  nativity 
by  reason  of  the  record  that  these 
men  have  made.  By  reasou  of  the 
deeds  that  these  men  have  done, 
yea  they  should  be  faithfully  hon- 
ored, aud  we  have  placed  this 
building  for  the  noble  purpose  in 
deserving  and  efficient  hands. 


"I  wish  the  people  of  the  county 
and  State  could  know  of  the  many 
gracious  aud  kindly  deeds  done  by 
this  chapter  of  the  Confederacy. 
From  the  very  beginning  they 
have  done  their  full  duty  and 
lived  up  to  the  spirit  of  their  or- 
ganization. Not  only  hai'e  they 
given  timely  and  charitable  aid 
where  it  was  needed  but  they  have 
gladdened  the  heart  and  stirred 
the  soul  of  many  a  gray  haired 
man  who  thought  that  his  heroic 
life  was  unnoticed  and  forgotten. 

"From  this  history  of  the  Chap- 
ter, from  the  character  and  noble 
hearted  capable  women  who  com- 
pose it,  we  commit  this  building  to 
their  care  with  every  assurance 
that  this,  like  their  other  work, 
will  be  well  done  and  the  high 
purpose  to  which  we  dedicate  this 
building  will  be  carried  to  its  full 
fruition. 

"As  a  part  of  these  exercises, 
and  a  most  important  feature,  our 
worthy  fellow  citizen,  Mr.  Alfred 
Nixon,  who  has  done  so  much  to 
promote  this  undertaking  has  pre- 
pared, and  kindly  consented  to  de 
liver,  ^  historical  sketch  of  this 
old  building  with  personal  refer- 
ence to  some  of  those  who  have 
had  instruction  here.  He  brings 
to  his  work  a  well  stored  and  sym- 
pathetic mind  and  therefore  I 
know  fall  well  you  will  hear  him 
with  pleasure." 


gfobres&  of  21.  JJtxon. 


It  is  with  a  feeling  of  peculiar 
pride  and  pleasure  that  I  address 
you  on  this  occasion.  In  the  ac- 
quisition of  this  building  as  a 
Memorial  Hall  I  congratulate  you. 
Although  Lincoln  county  is  a  little 
behind  her  sister  counties  in  erect- 
ing a  Monument  to  her  Confederate 
Heroes,  I  believe  it  will  have  the 
most  unique,  the  most  extensive, 
the  most  instructive,  of  any;  a 
monument  that  will  not  only  serve 
to  remind  succeeding  generations 
of  our  love  and  reverence  for  the 
followers  of  Lee  and  Jackson,  but 
one — if  you  receive  that  encourage- 
ment and  assistance  you  so  richly 
deserve,  and  your  plans  are  carried 
out — that  will  perpetuate  to  the 
most  distant  time  the  name  and 
service,  the  valor  and  patriotism 
of  each  Lincoln  couuty  soldier. 

It  has  been  well  said,  that,  "A 
people  who  forget  their  dead  de 
serve  themselves  to  be  forgotten." 
It  is  eminently  right  and  proper 
therefore,  that  Lincoln  county 
should  honor  and  preserve  the 
memory  of  her  Confederate  Heroes, 
and  all  who  aid  in  this  laudable 
undertaking  honor  themselves  in 
so  doing.  This  will  not  only  be  a 
fitting  Memorial  to  their  patriotic 
services,  but  ever  a  high  and  per- 
petual incentive    to  the   living  to 


lead  such  lives,  and,  if  duty  calls, 
to  devote  themselves  to  their  coun- 
try's service. 

In  obedience  to  North  Carolina's 
call  more  than  thirteen  hundred 
Lincoln  county  boys  went  forth  to 
battle.  Many  of  them  sleep  in 
graves  stretching  from  Gettysburg 
to  the  battlefields  ol  the  far  South. 
An  honored  remnant  is  still  with 
us.  The  thin  gray  line  grows 
thinner.  Not  many  years  will 
pass  till  the  last  of  these  will  have 
"crossed  over  the  river,"  and  all, 
we  hope,  to  "rest  under  the  shade 
of  the  trees,"  in  the  grand  re- union 
beyond. 

Veterans,  I  am  glad  that  you 
have  been  spared  not  only  to  see  a 
re-united  country,  but  even  the 
scars  of  war  healed, — all  animated 
by  love  of  our  country's  good  and 
glory.  Today  the  Secretary  of 
War  of  this  great  Nation  is  an  Ex- 
Confederate  soldier.  A  few  years 
ago  when  this  country  had  trouble 
with  a  foreign  power,  the  old  Con- 
federates donned  the  blue,  enlisted 
under  the  Stars  and  Stripes  and 
with  Wheeler  and  Fitzhugh  Lee 
dropped  in  at  the  front  to  fight  for 
Uncle  Sam.  But  it  is  said  that 
when  Wheeler  was  charging  the 
Spaniards  at  Santiago,  he  cheered 
up  his  men  by  saying:     "Come  on, 


boys;  the  Yankees  are  running. ?' 

Lincoln  county  has   made  histo- 
ry.    Your    chapter    has  taken    a 
most  important   step   to  secure  its 
preservation.     At  your  first  meet- 
ing in  your  own  Hall,  I  wish  to  in- 
spire a  love  for  these  historic  walls, 
hallowed     grounds     and      classic 
shades.     I  have  not  the  data  for  a 
complete  sketch,    but    have  some 
facts  worthy  of  common  knowledge 
and   preservation;  these   relate  to 
the   history  of  this    building,   its 
trustees,  teachers   and  pupils,  and 
the  part  they   played  in  the  great 
drama  of  war,  a  goodly  heritage  of 
inspiring  memories   and  I  hope  to 
demonstrate  that  there  is   eminent 
fitness    iu    this  building   being   a 
Memorial  Hall. 

The  fathers  provided  separate 
schools  for  the  males  and  females. 
This  was  the  Male  Academy.  On 
the  south  side  of  the  town  grounds 
were  set  apart  for  the  Female 
School,  and  the  Female  Academy 
has  a  history  parallelling  this,  but 
what  I  have  to  say  deals  with  men 
and  this  Academy.  In  both 
schools  we  are  the  beneficiaries  of 
their  wisdom  and  forethought. 

LINCOLNTON. 

The  charter  establishing  the  town 
of  Lincolnton  was  granted  by  the 
General  Assembly  in  1786.  It  lo- 
cated the  town  on  three  hundred 
acres  of  vacant  and  unappropriated 


lands  lying  between  the  lines  of 
Phillip  Cansler  and  Christian 
Bernhardt,  reciting  that  the  same 
is  a  "healthy  and  pleasant  situa- 
tion and  well  watered. " 

PLEASANT  RETREAT  ACADEMY. 

From  its  institution  this  school 
has  borne  the  attractive  name  of 
Pleasant  Retreat  Academy.  The 
older  students  delighted  to  speak 
of  its  refreshing  shades, — the  oak 
and  hickory,  interspersed  with  the 
chestnut  and  the  chinquipin,  and 
the  spring  at  the  foot  of  the  hill. 

Pleasant  Retreat  Academy  was 
chartered  by  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  State  of  North  Carolina  10th 
December,  1813.     The   Act  of  In- 
corporation     named     tweuty-oue 
Trustees.     They  were   of  the  sub- 
stantial and   distinguished  men  of 
Lincolutou    and    Lincoln  county. 
Several  of  them  were  soldiers   of 
the    Revolution.      I    recall    their 
names:  Rev.  Phillip  Henkle,  Rev. 
Humphrey    Hunter,   Lavvson  Hen- 
denson,    Joseph      Graham,     John 
Fulleu  wider,    John    Hoke,    Peter 
Forney,  Robert  Williamson,    Dan- 
iel Hoke,  Martin  Shuford,    Daniel 
Shuford,     J.    Reinhardt,    Vardry 
McBee,    David     Ramsour,     Peter 
Hoyle,  Henry   Y.  Webb,    George 
Carruth,    Wm.     McLean,    Robert 
Burton,    John    Reid,    and   David 
Reinhardt. 

The   charter     was    amended    in 


1819,  and  the  Trustees  restricted 
to  five,  viz:  Robert  H.  Burton, 
Lawson  Henderson,  John  Hoke, 
David  Ramsour,  and  Robert  Wil- 
liamson, and  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees has  since  been  composed  of 
five  members. 

In  1816  an  Act  of  the  General 
Assembly  authorizing  the  laying 
out  of  more  lots  in  the  the  Town  of 
Lincoluton,  provided:  "That  a 
portion  of  the  tract  of  land  afore- 
said not  exceeding  four  acres  and 
including  a  spring  shall  be  laid  off 
for  the  use  of  the  Academy  in  said 
town." 

June  4th,  1817,  Jacob  Ramsour, 
Daniel  Hoke,  Robert  Williamson, 
Robert  H.  Burton,  and  Lawson 
Henderson  made  report  that 
agreeable  to  Act  of  Assembly  of 
1816,  they  had  laid  off  among  nu- 
merous other  lots,  "a  lot  for  the 
use  of  the  academy,  of  three  acres, 
three  quarters  and  thirty-six  perch- 
es 24-33  of  a  perch  with  a  street 
43  feet  wide  through  the  same  and 
including  a  spring." 

On  the  21st  August,  1821,  Jo- 
seph Dixon,  Trustee  for  Lincoln 
county  executed  a  deed  to  the 
Trustees  of  Pleasant  Retreat  Acad- 
emy for  the  land  set  apart  for  its 
use. 

All  the  official  records  of  the 
Trustees  down  to  the  close  of  the 
war    have    been    lost.     Since    the 


war  the  following  have  served  as 
Trustees:  Jacob  A.  Ramsour,  John 
F.  Hoke,  Henry  Cansler,  William 
Lander,  James  T.  Alexander,  V. 
A.  McBee,  B.  H.  Sumner,  David 
Schenck,  W.  H.  Motz,  and  B.  C. 
Cobb,  all  former  students. 

W.  H  Motz  was  elected  a  trus- 
tee June  20th,  1869,  and  is  the 
oldest  member  and  chairman  of 
the  present  board.  He  attended 
this  school  as  far  back  as  1835, 
when  Prof.  Morrow  was  in  charge. 
His  heart  beats  with  love  and  ven- 
eration for  this  ancient  seat  of 
learning,  to  which  he  is  united  by 
many  tender  associations. 

Chapter  51,  laws  of  1908,  em- 
powered the  Trustees  of  Pleasant 
Retreat  Academy  to  lease  its 
buildings  and  grounds  to  the 
Southern  Stars  Chapter,  Daugh- 
ters of  the  Confederacy  for  the 
purpose  of  a  Memorial  Hall  of  the 
Confederate  Veterans  of  Lincoln 
county;  authorized  the  Graded 
School  Committee  to  join  in  the 
lease;  and  appointed  Mrs.  W.  A. 
Hoke,  Mrs.  R.  S.  Reinhardt,  and 
Mrs.  R.  E.  Costuer,  Trustees  to 
hold  this  and  other  property  your 
Chapter  may  acquire,  with  power 
to  increase  your  number  to  live, 
which  has  already  been  done  by 
the  addition  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Sain, 
and  Mrs.  Agnes  Lawing. 

The  Board  of    Trustees    at    this 


-9— 


time,  and  who  have  executed  the 
deed  to  you,  are,  W.  H.  Motz,  W. 
A.  Hoke,  R.  S.  Reinhardt,  A.  L. 
Quickel,  and  R.  E.  Costner. 

The  Graded  School  Committee 
of  Liucolnton  who  have  also  join- 
ed in  the  execution  of  your  deed 
are,  R.  M.  Roseman,  Edgar  Love, 
W.  W.  Motz,  D.  T.  Johnson,  and 
R.  A.  Yoder. 

The  Deed  of  lease  to  your  Chap- 
ter bears  date  20th  June,  190S.  It 
gives  your  Chapter  a  lease  on  the 
building  and  grounds  for  niuety- 
uine  years,  with  power  of  renewal. 
One  of  the  considerations  you 
have  already  met  by  discharging 
a  debt  of  -$282.65,  incurred  some 
years  since  in  its  repair;  another  is 
to  keep  the  grounds  for  a  park 
until  they  shall  be  needed  for  pub- 
lic school  purposes.  But  your 
lease  on  this  building  and  lot  of 
60x198  feet,  is  for  ninety  nine 
years,  with  power  of  renewal,  if 
your  organization  continues  its 
existence,  and  should  desire  to  do 
so. 

THE  TEACHERS, 

have  been  men  of  ability.  It  is 
a  pleasing  duty  to  call  their  names. 
In  the  absence  of  records  this  men- 
tion can  but  be  imperfect. 

JOHN  A.    MUSH  ATT. 

The  first  teacher  of  whom  I  have 
heard    any    of    the    older    people 


speak  was  Mushatt.  He  was  a 
very  learned  man  from  Connecti- 
cut, and  a  graduate  of  Yale.  He 
was  an  xAssociate  Reformed  preach- 
er and  came  to  this  State  about 
1810.  He  was  a  fine  teacher,  a 
a  strict  but  just  disciplinarian, 
whipping  grown  young  men  who 
broke  his  laws. 

The  southern  boundary  line  of 
Earl  Granville's  domain  passed 
through  Lincoln  county.  This 
line  was  never  run  west  of  the 
Catawba  by  his  agents.  After  the 
Revolution  there  was  litigation  to 
determine  the  proper  location  of 
grants  under  the  Crown  and 
Granville.  In  one  of  these  suits, 
Taylor  vs.  Shuford,  reported  in 
4th  Hawks,  Mushatt  was  appoint- 
ed by  the  court  to  locate  the 
Granville  line.  He  ascertained  it 
by  astronomical  observations.  He 
removed  to  Lowndes  county,  Ala- 
bama, about  1830. 

THOMAS   DEWS. 

The  late  V.  A.  McBee  told  me 
Thomas  Dews  taught  here.  He 
was  a  student  under  him.  His 
parents  migrated  from  St.  Peter's 
Port,  Isle  of  Guernsey,  where 
Thomas  was  born.  Thomas  Dews, 
the  father  was  a  cabinet  maker, 
whose  eccentricities,  goodness  and 
piety  are  yet  the  talk  of  the  town. 
Mrs.  Dews,  the  mother,  was  like- 
wise a  well  known  character.     She 


—10— 


sold  cakes  to  secure  means  to  edu- 
cate their  promising  boy.  Tom 
Dews  was  drowned  iu  Second 
Broad  river,  Rutherford  county, N. 
C,  August  4th,  1838,  aged  30 
years,  2  months  and  25  days.  His 
remains  lie  in  honor  beneath  a 
pure  marble  shaft,  the  tribute  of  a 
noble- hearted  woman  to  the  man 
who  adored  her  while  he  lived.  It 
marks  the  spot  where  rests  her 
lover  and  her  love. 

GEORGE  W.  MORROW, 

Of  Orange  county,  was  principal 
of  a  flourishing  school.  He  was 
assisted  by  his  wife,  a  daughter  of 
a  teacher  of  Orange,  Rev.  Elijah 
Graves.  She  taught  in  the  up- 
stairs. He  died  October  2nd, 
1835,  after  a  short  service. 

JOHN  DICKEY, 

Was  the  next  teacher,  a  man  of 
eminent  piety,  who  always  opened 
school  with  a  fervent  prayer. 

J.     D.    MURPHY, 

Conducted  this  school  in  the  for- 
ties. He  was  a  native  of  Ireland 
where  he  had  received  a  classical 
education.  His  school  was  noted, 
and  attracted  pupils  from  distant 
parts  of  the  State.  He  removed 
to  Lexington  in  1846. 

I  love  to  hear  old  people  recount 
the  incidents  of  their  childhood. 
They  seem  more  vividly  impressed 
with  these  than  with  the  weightier 


matters  of  mature  life.  I  recall 
the  following  incident  a  very  old 
man  related  to  me:  ''I  went  to 
school  to  Prof.  Murphy,  an  Irish- 
man. His  wife  was  Irish  too,  and 
they  lived  in  the  upstairs  of  the 
Academy.  The  belfry  was  ou  top, 
but  the  rope  came  through  to  the 
first  floor.  Hogs  ran  at  large  then. 
One  night  a  lot  of  us  boys  caught 
one,  held  its  mouth  while  tying  it 
to  the  bell  cord  and  then  ran.  The 
bell  began  to  ring.  The  Professor 
came  down,  found  the  cause,  but 
was  afraid  of  the  hog,  which  was 
in  as  much  trouble  as  he  was. 
Next  morning  we  released  the  hog, 
had  good  lessons  and  were  studi- 
ous, but  somehow  we  couldn't  get 
along.  The  Professor  had  lost  a 
night's  sleep,  and  before  the  day 
was  over  he  flogged  every  boy  iu 
school  for  some  cause,  determining 
to  make  sure  he  whipped  the  ones 
who  tied  the  hog." 

It  is  a  custom  of  boys  to  give  pet 
names  to  the  teachers  they  love. 
The  officer  with  a  pet  name  was 
liked  by  his  soldiers.  The  genial 
Irishman,  Prof.  Murphy,  had  his. 
I  remember  on  one  occasion  a  dis- 
tinguished friend  was  recounting 
the  classic  attainment  and  splen- 
did ability  of  Prof.  Murphy  as  a 
teacher  and  the  fame  of  his  school, 
giowiug  reminiscent,  he  said: — 
"His  given    name  was     Jeremiah. 


-11— 


I  will  never  forget  it.  I  had  it  in- 
delibly impressed  on  my  mind  and 
back  in  childhood.  I  was  a  little 
tot  too  small  for  his  school.  The 
larger  boys  by  some  wile  or  per- 
suasion induced  me  to  go  to  the 
Academy  door  and  cry  out,  "Jer- 
emiah, Jeremiah,"  I  did  so  to  the 
amusement  of  the  boys.  A  note 
from  the  Professor  informed  moth- 
er of  my  conduct.  The  whipping 
she  gave  me,  and  Jeremiah,  will 
remain   while  memory  lasts." 

Benjamin  Sumner,  a  native  of 
Gates  county,  conducted  this 
school  witb  success.  He  was  as- 
sisted by  his  nephew,  Richard  H. 
Riddick.  Later  his  son,  Thomas 
J.  Sumner,  and  Prof.  Riddick 
taught.  Prof.  Benjamin  Sumner 
died  in  Rowan  county  April  3rd, 
1866.  Prof.  Riddick  had  been  a 
soldier  in  the  Mexican  War,  and 
was  Colonel  of  the  34th  Regiment 
in  the  Civil  War.  A  brave  and 
efficient  officer,  he  fell  at  Ox  Hill 
1st  September,  1862. 

Other  ante-bellum  teachers  were 
Prof.  Lindsley,  Rev.  Robert  N. 
Davis,  Rev.  Jeremiah  Ingold,  and 
perhaps  others  of  whom  1  have  not 
heard,  but  there  is  one  more  in 
whom  I  feel  a  kindly  interest, 
Pankey,  Prof.  Paukey.  His  mem- 
ory hangs  on  such  a  delicate 
thread. 


HIGGLETY-PIGGLETY. 

A  friend  Avas  once  relating  inci- 
dents of  his  first  school  in  the  long 
ago.  He  said:  "I  can  remember 
the  teacher  who  taught  before  I 
entered.  He  boarded  at  our  house, 
but  I  was  too  small  to  go.  His 
name  was  Pankey.  I  do  not  re- 
member much  about  him  except 
he  was  always  trying  to  learn  me 
to  spell  the  words,  'Higglety- 
Pigglety. ' 

WETMORE  AND  SMITH. 

June  20th,  1869,  the  Trustees 
gave  Rev.  W.  R.  Wetmore  and 
Prof.  Hildreth  H.  Smith  the  use 
of  the  Academy  for  a  male  school. 
Dr.  Wetmore  was  a  University 
graduate,  chaplain  of  a  regiment 
during  the  war,  and  a  man  of 
learning.  Prof.  Smith  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  Hampshire,  had  been 
President  of  Catawba  College  and 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages  in 
our  State  University.  Their  school 
was  a  success. 

Then  followed  Mebane,  Arrow - 
wood,  George  W.  Halen,  and  per- 
haps others,  well  remembered  by 
the  men  of  today. 

REV.  J.   W.    JENKINS. 

April  16th,  1881,  I  find  the 
Trustees,  "Resolved:  That  Rev.  J. 
W.  Jenkins  have  the  use  of  the 
Academy  lor  the  purpose  of  teach- 
ing a  male  school  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  building." 


— 12- 


Th  e  reason  the  lower  part  only 
is  let  the  upper  story  was  used  as 
a  masonic  lodge.  I  have  often 
met  with  the  lodge  in  this  upper 
chamber. 

This  hasty  glimpse  brings  us 
down  to  current  history.  The 
Female  Academy  is  enlarged  and 
becomes  the  Graded  School.  Miss 
Sallie  B.  Hoke  taught  school  here 
in  1884  and  '85.  Miss  Kate  Shipp 
conducted  the  Mary  Wood  school 
here  a  few  years  beginning  in  1901. 

STUDENTS. 

In  the  total  absence  of  records  I 
cannot  begin  to  call  the  long  stu- 
dent roll.  Here  have  been  train- 
ed boys  who  grew  into  men  of 
wide  influence,  and  graved  their 
names  high  on  the  altars  of  fame 
by  distinguished  services  in  the 
pulpit,  at  the  bar,  on  the  bench, 
the  hustings,  and  in  the  various 
necessary  and  useful  vocations  of 
life.     I  will  mention  a  few. 

Prof.  Brumby,  here  received  his 
preparation  for  college  and  after- 
wards filled  with  honor  and  iepu- 
tation  a  chair  in  the  University  of 
his  native  State,  South  Carolina. 
From  certain  glimpses  of  the  dis- 
tant past  I  am  of  opinion  that 
Pleasant  Retreat  in  its  first  years 
was  a  mixed  school.  Prof.  Brum- 
by married  Mary,  a  daughter  of 
Capt.    Alexander    Brevard,     while 


Ransom  H.  Hunley,  another  Pal- 
metto Student,  married  Caroline,  a 
daughter  of  General  Peter  Forney, 
all  students.  The  Female  Acad- 
emy was  not  opened  uutil  1825. 

James  Pinkney  Henderson,  son 
of  one  of  the  first  Trustees,  sought 
the  broad  area  of  the  "Lone  Star" 
State  for  the  full  development  of 
his  great  intellect  and  won  fortune 
and  fame,  an  eminent  lawyer,  At- 
torney General  of  the  Republic  of 
Texas,  its  Minister  Plenipotentiary 
and  Envoy  Extraordinary  to 
France,  England  and  the  United 
States,  Governor  of  Texas,  Major- 
General  of  the  United  States  Army 
in  the  War  with  Mexico,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  United  States 
Senator,  he  adorned  the  positions 
which  his  courage  and  talents  won. 

Thomas  Dews,  the  wonderful 
precocity  of  whose  intellect  amazed 
the  generation  in  which  he  lived 
until  his  name  has  been  handed 
down  to  posterity  as  the  embodi- 
ment of  genius  and  greatness.  He 
graduated  at  our  State  University 
at  the  early  age  of  sixteen,  divid- 
ing with  Ex-Governor  Graham, 
the  highest  honor  of  the  class  of 
1824.  He  made  himself  famous 
by  his  achievements  at  the  bar  ere 
he  sank  into  an  untimely  grave. 
His  name  which  ought  to  have 
gone  down  the  ages  on  account  of 
great  deeds  achieved  by  extraor- 
dinary talent,  will  perhaps  he  best 


—13— 


and  always  remembered  in  connec- 
tion with  a  happily  turned  epitaph 
incident,  in  which  "The  Devil  got 
his  (Dews)  dues." 

Ambrose  Costner  was  a  student 
of  Prof.  Murphy  while  he  taught 
at  the  High  Shoals  and  afterwards 
here.  He  is  perhaps  the  oldest 
living  alumnus  of  this  institution 
and  carries  well  his  more  than  four 
score  years.  Agriculture  has  been 
his  lifes  work.,  Often  the  popular 
representative  of  Lincoln  county 
in  both  Houses  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, he  is  respected  and  hon- 
ored by  those  who  know  him. 

A  custom  of  the  early  days  was 
to  allow  the  older  boys  to  study 
under  the  shade  of  the  trees.  A 
trio,  Cephas  Quickel,  Wallace 
Rein  hard t,  and  V.  A.  McBee  oc- 
cupied three  trees  which  stood  to- 
gether, and  to  each  tree  was  given 
the  name  of  the  boy  that  sat  under 
it.  The  trees  are  gone.  The  boys 
who  grew  into  venerable  men  have 
passed  to  their  fathers,  but  their 
sweet  memories  will  linger  long. 

I  will  now  mention  an  incident 
in  the  words  of  an  old  student: — 
"At  recess  we  hurried  down  to  a 
large  chestnut  that  grew  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill.  Jake  Cansler 
cl'mbed  the  tree  and  threw  down 
the  burrs.  I  was  hulling  aud 
gathering  the  chestnuts.  We  were 
to  divide.  The  school  bell  rang. 
Delay  m^ant  punishment.   I  called 


to  Jake  that  I  was  going.  He  said, 
'go  ahead,  I  haven't  gotten  enough 
chestnuts  yet.'  I  says,  'you  can 
have  mine.'  He  replied:  'Alright, 
but  while  I  am  up  here  I  will  get 
a  few  more  and  take  a  whipping.' 
Jake  came  into  the  school  room 
late,  his  pockets  bulging  with 
chestnuts,  and  took  his  whipping 
without  a  whimper.  He  after- 
wards graduated  at  the  State  Uni- 
versity aud  became  a  Baptist  di- 
vine of  wide  influence. " 

Michael  Hoke  was  a  sou  of  Colo- 
nel John  Hoke,  one  of  the  first 
Trustees.  He  attended  Capt. 
Partridges  Military  academy,  Mid- 
dleton,  Connecticut,  read  law  with 
Robert  H.  Burton,  whose  daugh- 
ter Francis,  he  married.  An  emi- 
nent lawyer,  an  accomplished 
orator  he  died  in  the  openingsplen- 
dor  of  an  effulgent  genius  which 
was  already  shedding  its  lustre  on 
the  political  history  of  the  State  he 
loved  so  well. 

William  A.  Graham  attended 
this  Academy,  his  first  school  from 
his  home.  He  grew  into  a  great 
man  with  an  honorable  and  dis- 
tinguished career.  He  was  twice 
Governor,  United  States  and  Con- 
federate Senator,  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  and  candidate  for  Vice- 
President  on  the  Scott  ticket. 

The  great  campaigu  of  1844  was 
one  of  the  most  exciting  in  the  his- 
tory   of    the   State.     There    were 


-14— 


many  causes  tending  to  make  it  so. 
It  was  a  Presidential  election. 
Henry  Clay,  the  Whig  nominee, 
made  a  speech  in  Ealeigh  on  the 
12th  of  April,  of  that  year.  No 
public  man  swayed  his  followers  as 
did  Clay,  and  to  that  extent  he 
was  admired  by  his  friends  and 
hated  by  his  enemies.  James  K. 
Polk,  of  Tennessee,  a  native  of 
Mecklenburg,  and  graduate  of  our 
State  University,  was  the  nominee 
of  the  Democrats,  and  his  party 
hoped  to  carry  the  State.  The 
Eepublic  of  Texas  was  seeking  an- 
nexation to  the  United  States,  and 
this  was  a  burning  issue.  Both 
parties  were  on  their  mettle.  The 
battle  promised  to  be  of  unusual 
interest  and  excitement.  The  very 
best  men  must  be  selected  for  of- 
fice. The  parties  sought  their 
standard  bearers  with  as  much 
care  as  a  general  would  select  a 
soldier  for  a  hazardous  underta- 
king. Both  parties  were  fortunate 
in  the  selection  of  leaders,  and  it  is 
worthy  of  honorable  mention  on 
this  occasion,  that  each  of  the  great 
political  parties  selected  as  its  can- 
didate for  the  office  of  Governor,  a 
native  of  Lincoln  county,  a  former 
student  of  this  Academy  and  a  son 
of  one  of  the  first  Trustees. 

The  Democrats  nominated  as 
their  standard  bearer  Michael 
Hoke,  a  gentleman  of  fine  person, 
fine  address,  of  long  legislative  ex- 


perience and  high  position  at  the 
bar,  whose  ease  of  manner  and 
brilliancy  of  oratory  won  for  him 
troops  of  friends. 

The  Whigs  were  equally  for- 
tunate in  the  selection  of  their 
standard  bearer  in  the  person  of 
William  A.  Graham,  a  man  of  ex- 
alted character  and  ability,  and 
like  his  competitor  the  fairness  of 
his  conduct,  his  open  generous 
temper,  and  his  elevated  mode  of 
argument,  won  him  many   friends. 

Never  in  any  campaign  in  this 
or  any  other  State,  for  any  posi- 
tion, were  two  political  antagonists 
more  evenly  matched.  Both  were 
in  the  very  prime  of  life.  Hoke 
was  only  thirty-four  and  Graham 
forty  years  of  age.  Both  were 
strikingly  handsome  men,  tall, 
well- formed,  and  graceful,  with 
manners  as  polished  as  a  Chester- 
field, aud  tempers  as  placid  as  a 
theological  student,  characters  as 
pure  as  a  maiden,  aud  habits  as 
free  from  guile  as  those  of  a  bishop. 
While  possessing  all  these  amiable 
qualities  when  it  came  to  the  ad- 
vocacy of  the  principles  of  theii 
respective  parties  or  assaulting 
those  of  the  other  they  exhibited 
the  courage  of  a  Washington  and 
and  the  aggressiveness  of  a  Jack- 
son. The  dignified  and  majestic 
preseuceof  Graham  was  formidably 
rivaled  by  the  matchless  manner 
and  ready  humor  of  Hoke;  and  no 


—15— 


two  were  ever  more  enthusiastical- 
ly supported  by  their  partisan  fol- 
lowers.    It  was  a  battle  of  giants. 

Graham  was  elected  Governor; 
Clay  carried  the  State,  but  Polk 
was  elected  President.  Hoke  did 
not  long  survive  the  campaign. 
He  died  September  9th,  1844,  at 
the  youthful  age  of  34  years,  4 
months  and  7  days. 

Governor  Graham  was  born  Sep 
tember  5th,  1804,  and  died  August 
11th  1875.  I  saw  him  in  Lincoln- 
ton  in  1872.  His  face  and  form,  no- 
ble and  commanding,  was  cast  in 
natures  finest  mould.  As  pictured 
in  my  mind  he  was  the  most  dis- 
tinguished looking  man  I  have 
ever  seen.  He  rauks  among  the 
greatest  men  produced  by  the 
State. 

Henry  Cansler  was  a  man  of  tine 
sense,  high  standing  and  great  in- 
fluence. He  filled  the  office  of 
Sheriff,  Clerk  of  the  Court,  and 
member  of  the  General  Assembly, 
and  talked  well  on  the  stump. 
Phillip  Cansler  and  John  Hoke 
married  sisters,  Anna  Mariah  and 
Barbara  Q.uickel.  So  Henry  Can 
sler  and  Michael  Hoke  were  first 
cousins.  Michael  Hoke's  brilliant 
career  was  a  constant  source  of  de- 
light to  the  oJd  Dutchman,  Phillip 
Cansler.  He  was  often  heard  to 
say:  "Mike  Hoke's  a  de'il  of  a 
smhart  fellow,"  and  as  his  heart 
swelled    with     parental  pride,    he 


always  concluded  his  eulogy  with, 
"He  is  a  first  cousin  of  my  son 
Henry." 

William  Lander,  a  brilliant,  im- 
petuous, chivalric,  noble  gentle- 
man, was  one  of  the  foremost  ad- 
vocates of  the  bar  of  Western 
Xorth  Carolina;  a  popular  and  be- 
loved tribune  of  the  people,  who 
passed  by  the  stately  honors  of  a 
Judgeship  to  enjoy  the  more  splen- 
did triumphs  of  the  forum;  and 
whose  splendid  eloquence  found 
congenial  fellowship  amid  the  fiery 
spirits  of  the  Confederate  Congress. 
He  was  a  native  of  Tiparo,  Ireland, 
born  May  0th,  1817.  His  parents 
emigrated  to  America  when  he  was 
eight  years  old.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Convention  from  Lincoln 
county  in  1861,  that  passed  the 
Ordinance  of  Secession.  He  voted 
for  and  signed  that  instrument. 
He  died  January  9th,  1868.  Law- 
yer, Solicitor,  Legislator,  and  mem- 
ber of  the  Confederate  Congress, 
he  has  a  mouumeut  of  love  and  af- 
fection in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
knew  him  best. 

Samuel  Lauder  was  a  man  of 
broad  and  accurate  scholarship, 
President  of  Williamson  Female 
College,  an  educator  noted  for  the 
thoroughness  of  his  work,  a  preach- 
er of  wide  repute,  a  gentleman  of 
elegant  manners,  an  humble  Chris- 
tian, lately  fallen  asleep. 

Hon.    William    and  Dr.    Samuel 


—16— 


Lander  were  brothers.  They  were 
nephews  of  Prof.  Murphy.  The 
wives  of  Prof.  Murphy  and  Samuel 
Lauder,  Senior,  were  sisters  and 
before  their  marriage  Martha  and 
Eliza  Miller. 

David  Schenck  was  a  powerful 
advocate  and  successful  lawyer.  A 
close  student,  of  untiring  energy 
and  indomitable  will,  he  arose  to 
the  head  of  his  profession.  A 
Judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  a  his- 
torian of  wide  reputation,  he  ranks 
among  Lincoln  county's  most  dis- 
tinguished sons. 

Caleb  Motz  was  a  delegate  to  the 
constitutional  convention  of  1875, 
long  time  Chairman  of  the  Board 
of  County  Commissioners,  active 
in  public  school  affairs,  a  public 
spirited  citizen,  of  pleasant  memo- 
ry- 
John  A.  Huggins  here  received 
a  fine  education,  was  a  school 
teacher  of  high  rank  and  a  minis- 
ter. He  died  in  the  communion  of 
the  Baptist  church. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Richardsou,  a  skilled 
physician,  a  good  man,  and  good 
citizen  is  of  pleasant  memory. 

There  will  occur  to  you  many 
others  whose  names  are  dear,  and 
whose  memories  are  a  precious  her- 
itage, but  I  must  pass  from  this 
interesting  field. 

For  the  possession  of  this  build- 
ing and  its  consecration  as  a  Me- 
morial Hall  Judge  W.  A.    Hoke  is 


entitled  to  a  debt  of  gratitude. 
He  believes  the  United  Daughters 
of  the  Confederacy  a  great  organi- 
zation, the  most  potent  existent  in 
its  beautiful  labor  of  love  in  strew- 
ing with  flowers  the  pathway  of 
the  old  veteran,  and  in  its  great  en- 
deavor to  preserve  for  the  ages  the 
story  of  his  dauntless  service. 

Judge  Hoke  is  to  be  commended 
for  his  filial  interest  and  inherent 
love  for  these  classic  walls.  In 
this  Academy  he  received  his  edu- 
cation, and  is  one  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  his  Alma  Mater.  Here 
his  distinguished  father,  Col.  John 
F.  Hoke,  received  his  preparation 
for  the  State  University  and  was  a 
Trustee,  and  his  grandfather,  Col. 
John  Hoke,  was  a  member  of  the 
first  Board  of  Trustees.  As  cit- 
izen, lawyer,  Legislator,  Judge  of 
the  Superior  Court  and  Associate 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
this  State,  he  has  an  enviable 
record. 

POST  BELLTJM  STUDENTS. 

Among  these  are  Hoke  Smith, 
lawyer,  journalist,  Secretary  of  the 
Interior  under  President  Cleveland, 
and  the  present  Governor  of  Geor- 
gia; William  B.  Shipp,  Lieutenant 
Tenth  U.  S.  Cavalry,  killed  on  San 
Juan  Hill,  Battle  of  Santiago,  July 
1st,  1898;  T.  H.  Cobb  and  B.  C. 
Cobb  of  the  Lincoln  bar;  Harris 
Tkniisaur,  financier;    W.  E.  Grigg, 


—17— 


banker;  D.  W.  Robinson,  lawyer; 
H.  S.  Robinson,  retired  merchant 
and  farmer;  Chas.  E.  Robinson, 
merchant;  W.  W.  Motz,  architect 
and  builder;  Blair  and  Hugh  Jen- 
kins, merchants;  Rev.  W.  L. 
Sherrill  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
South ;.C.  E.  Childs,  of  the  Lin- 
coln bar;  C.  C.  Cobb,  of  the  Texas 
bar;  Dr.  Sumner  McBee,  and 
Silas  McBee,  Editor  of  the  Church- 
man; L.  B.  Wetmore,  lawyer; 
Charles  Sumner,  farmer;  Dr.  Hen- 
ry Costner;  W.  A.  Costner,  farm- 
er; Thomas  J.  Ramsaur,  farmer. 
But  I  must  pass  on.  Your  minds 
will  supply  a  long  catalogue  of 
others  on  the  stage  of  action  dis- 
charging efficiently  the  responsible 
duties  of  citizenship. 

CONFEDERATE    SOLDIERS. 

Many  of  the  Students  of  this 
Academy  became  Confederate  Sol- 
diers. I  have  prepared  a  roll.  It 
may  be  far  from  complete,  but  I 
have  placed  in  it  the  name  of  every 
one  I  now  recall,  or  have  been  able 
to  find  by  inquiry.  It  is  an  honor 
roll.      Hear  the  names: 

The  first  Lincoln  county  volun- 
teers to  answer  their  Southland's 
call  to  arras  were  the  Southern 
Stars,  Company  K,  Bethel  Regi- 
ment. Its  commissioned  officers, 
William  J.  Hoke,  Captain;  Wal- 
lace M.  Reinhardt,  First  Lieuten- 
ant; Robert  F.  Hoke,  Second  Lieu- 


tenant, and  E.  E.  Sumner,  Third 
Lieutenant,  and  the  following  non- 
commissioned officers  and  privates 
had  been  students  in  the  Academy, 
a  total  of  twenty-eight:  — E.  W. 
Stubbs  and  L.  J.  Hoyle,  Sergeants; 
Thomas  J.  Cansler,  First  Corporal; 
James  L.  Alexander,  M.  A.  Bland. 
Peter  Vardry  Cauble,  George  M. 
Hoke,  Joseph  us  Houser,  Monroe 
Houser  and  J.  W.  Houser,  Charles 
Johnson,  William  H.  Jetton,  Sam- 
uel Lander,  C.  L.  Jack;:on,  Wil- 
liam Martin,  George  M.  Motz, 
Henry  E.  Ramsaur,  W.  S.  Rush, 
G.  W.  Shuford,  Franklin  Stubbs, 
J.  A.  Sumner,  James  D.  Wells, 
Daniel  Wells  and  Oliver  Wells. 

The  veterans  of  Lincoln  county 
attest  their  esteem  for  the  Captain 
of  the  Southern  Stars  by  giving  his 
name,  W.  J.  Hoke,  to  their  Camp; 
your  Chapter  beautifully  preserves 
the  Company's  name,  Southern 
Stars,  while  the  Children  of  the 
Confederacy  lovingly  enshrine  in 
their  chapter  name,  the  First 
Lieutenant,  Wallace  Reinhardt. 

William  J.  Hoke,  son  of  John 
Hoke,  was  Captain  of  the  South- 
ern Stars  and  later  Colonel  of  the 
38th  Regiment,  a  gallant  soldier 
much  loved. 

Robert  F.  Hoke  is  a  son  of  Hon. 
Michael  Hoke,  and  both  his  grand- 
fathers, John  Hoke  and  Robert  H. 
Burton,  and  one  great  grandfather, 
John  Fullenwider,  were  of  the  first 


-IS— 


Trustees.  After  leaving  this 
Academy  he  attended  the  Ken- 
tucky Military  Institute.  He  en- 
listed at  the  first  call  for  volun- 
teers and  was  commissioned  Second 
Lieutenant  of  the  Southern  Stars; 
before  the  Bethel  Campaign  was 
over  he  was  promoted  Major.  By 
his  firmness,  ability,  and  gallantry, 
he  arose  by  rapid  promotion 
through  the  grades  to  the  rank  of 
Major-General.  He  enjoyed  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  the  great 
Lee  whom  he  resembled  in  person 
and  genius;  and,  has  the  unparal- 
lelleded  honor  of  being  that  great 
chieftiau's  choice  to  be  his  succes- 
sor as  Commander-in-Chief  should 
he  had  the  misfortune  to  have  fallen 
in  battle  or  been  disabled.  A  gal- 
lant soldier,  a  modest  gentleman, 
he  has  an  abiding  place  in  the 
affections  of  the  people. 

Stephen  D.  Ramseur,  son  and 
grandson  of  Trustees,  Jacob  A., 
and  David  Ramseur,  went  from 
this  school  to  Davidson  College, 
then  to  West  Point,  where  he  re- 
mained five  years,  graduating  in 
1N60,  and  received  a  commission  as 
Second  Lieutenant.  At  the  burst- 
ing of  the  storm-cloud  Lieutenant 
Ramseur  resigued  his  commission 
in  the  United  States  army  and 
tendered  his  services  to  the  South- 
ern cause.  He  entered  the  Con- 
federate service  as  Captain  of  Com- 
pany   A,   in  the  Ellis  Light  Artil- 


lery, April  16th,  1861,  and  by 
regular  promotion  won  the  rank  of 
Major-General,  and  met  the  death 
of  a  hero  on  the  field  of  battle. 
Brave,  chivalrous,  and  capable,  he 
possessed  those  lofty  martial  qual- 
ities that  distinguished  the  South- 
ern soldier. 

Joseph  W.  Alexauder,  a  student 
of  this  Academy,  graduated  at  An- 
napolis, and  entered  the  naval  ser- 
vice of  the  United  States.  At  the 
outbreak  of  hostilities  he  was  a 
Lieutenant  with  the  Mediterranean 
Squadron  On  its  recall,  he  made 
his  way  South,  and  tendered  his 
service  to  the  new  formed  Confed- 
eracy and  was  commissioned  a 
Captain  in  its  navy.  In  the  Hamp- 
ton Road's  fight,  one  of  the  famous 
naval  battles  of  history,  he  com- 
manded the  Raleigh.  Captain 
Alexander  was  a  cultured  gentle- 
man. After  seeing  most  of  the 
world  his  last  days  were  peacefully 
passed  on  a  Lincoln  county  farm. 

Alvin  DeLane  was  a  soldier  in 
the  United  States  Army,  whose 
flag  was  endeared  to  him  by  many 
years  service.  The  war  clouds 
gather,  a  decision  is  to  be  made. 
He  hesitates  not.  The  battle  cry 
of  the  South  expresses  the  senti 
tnent  of  his  heart  and  his  resolve: 

"In  Dixie  land.  I'll  take  my  stand. 
And  live  and  die  for  Dixie." 

In  the  darkness  of  the  night  he 
scales  the    walls  of   Fort  Sumpter 


—19- 


with  a  ladder,  and  uses  this  as  a 
float  for  many  hours  on  the  living 
deep,  is  rescued,  becomes  che  hero 
of  Charleston  and  for  the  next  four 
years  a  gallant  Confederate  soldier. 

John  F.  Hoke  won  a  Captain's 
commission  in  the  12th  Regiment 
U.  S.  Infantry  in  the  war  with 
Mexico.  He  was  appointed  Adju- 
tant-General of  North  Carolina  in 
1860,  and  in  1S61  he  organized  and 
sent  to  Virginia  fourteen  regiments 
during  the  months  of  May  and 
June.  In  July,  1861,  he  was 
elected  Colonel  of  the  23rd  Regi- 
meut,  afterwards  he  commanded 
the  73rd  Regiment  until  the  war 
closed.  A  learned  lawyer,  often 
the  representative  of  Lincoln  coun- 
ty in  the  General  Assembly,  he 
wore  "without  reproach  the  grand 
old  name  of  gentleman." 

George  D.  Caubie  was  a  student 
under  Mr.  Murphy  at  High  Shoals 
and  afterwards  attended  this 
Academy.  His  comrades  testify  to 
his  courage  and  gallantry  as  a  Con 
federate  soldier.  He  is  today  a 
valiant  follower  of  the  Great  Com- 
mander under  the  banner  of  the 
1  Cross. 

The  other  day  I  met  on  Acad- 
emy street  Charlie  Hoke,  of  At- 
lanta. He  was  a  student  under 
Sumner  and  Riddick.  A  child  ot 
seven  he  stayed  out  of  school  to 
blow  the  fife  as  the  soldiers 
marched  the  streets  of  Lincolnton 


drilling  for  the  Mexican  War. 
His  father  removed  to  Greenville, 
S.  C.  When  the  war  came  he 
hurried  to  join  Hampton's  Legion, 
fearing  it  would  be  all  over  before 
he  could  get  to  the  front,  but  he 
arrived  in  good  time  for  four  years 
of  march  and  battle,  exposed  to 
the  storm  of  shot  and  shell. 

Frauk  Schenck,  of  Lawndale, 
was  the  first  Captain  of  Company 
F,  55th,  afterwards  promoted 
Major  of  his  Regiment.  A  good 
citizen,  progressive  and  public 
spirited  his  life  has  beeu  a  bene- 
diction to  his  country. 

Lemuel  J.  Hoyle  served  in  the 
Bethel  Campaign  with  the  South- 
ern Stars,  and  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  the  war  as  Second 
Lieutenant,  Company  I,  11th  Reg- 
iment. He  has  tilled  many  posi- 
tions of  trust  and  is  a  man  highly 
esteemed  and  much  loved. 

William  E.  Edwards,  of  the 
52nd,  and  Heury  Gheeu,  of  the 
57th,  and  Ebeu  Childs,  of  the 
Western  Army,  in  the  early  flush 
of  young  manhood  laid  their  lives 
upon  the  altar  of  their  country. 

William  S.  Bynum,  the  gallant 
soldier  boy,  was  born  February 
9th,  1848;  September  25th,  1862, 
at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  en- 
listed in  Company  K,  42ud  Regi- 
ment and  served  until  the  surren- 
der. After  the  war  he  attended 
this  Academy,  practiced    law,  and 


—20— 


became  an    Episcopal    clergyman. 
He  fell  asleep  October  21st,  1888. 

Among  the  pioneer  German  set- 
tlers was  Andrew  Heedick.  One  of 
the  first  lots  in  Lincolutou,  con- 
veyed in  1788,  was  to  Andrew 
Heedick  and  Christian  Bernhardt, 
Trustees  for  the  "Dutch  Lutherans 
and  Dutch  Presbyterians,  for  the 
iutent  and  purpose  of  building 
thereon  a  meeting  house  for  public 
worship,  school  houses,  both  Dutch 
and  Euglish,  and  a  place  for  the 
burial  of  the  dead."  This  is  the 
"Old  White  Church"  property, 
now  owned  by  the  Lutherans.  On 
this  lot  the  first  school  house  in 
Lincolnton  is  said  to  have  been 
built.  Andrew  Heedick,  a  great 
grandson  of  the  pioneer,  lost  his 
right  *arm  in  the  fearful  battle  of 
Chancellorsville.  After  the  war 
he  attended  this  Academy,  pre- 
paring himself  for  school-teaching. 
He  filled  for  many  years  the  office 
of  County  Treasurer  and  is  one  of 
Lincoln  county's  honored  sons.  In 
school  with  him  were  three  other 
soldier  boys,  William  Thompson 
and  Macon  Luckey,  of  Company  C, 
71st  Regiment,  and  Melville  V. 
Bamsour,  of  Confederate  States 
Navy. 

Benjamin  H.  Sumner,  Captain 
and  A.  C.  S.,  38th  Regiment,  was 
commissioned  February  15th,  1862. 
Other    Confederate   soldiers    were 


Laban  A.  Hoyle,  Thomas  L.  Hou- 
ser,  Augustus  P.  James,  William 
H.  McCoy,  Jacob  A.  Miller,  Bob- 
ert  M.  Boseman,  David  W.  Barn- 
sour,  James  Shuford,  Cowan  Alex- 
ander, Peter  Snmmey,  William  A. 
Cline,  Frank  L.  Stewart. 

I  think  it  will  be  of  interest   for 
the  future  to  meutiou  some  of  the 
boys    by  families.     It  will    afford 
some  picture  of  the   suffering  and 
sacrifices,   not  only  of  those  at  the 
front    but  the  dear   ones  at  home. 
There  were  the  three  Phifer  broth- 
ers, George  L.,  Captain  of  Compa- 
ny K,  49th;  Ed.  X.,  a  Lieutenant 
in    the    same    Company,  died    of 
wound,  and  William  L.,  killed    in 
the  battle  of  Chicamauga,    Tennes- 
see; Jacob  A.,   Caleb    (2nd  Lieut. 
Company  C,  71st)  and   Joseph  Bi- 
saner;  Charles,  Taylor,  and  William 
H.  Jetton;  Mayfield,   George,    and 
Charlie  Motz;  David,  Harvey,  and 
Sergeant  Major   Charles    B.   Bam- 
sour,  brothers  of  General  Bamsour; 
Lawson  and    Charlie    Henderson; 
Lee   and  Charlie   Johnson;  Frank 
Hoke,  brother  of  Cols.  John  F.  aud 
William  J.  Hoke.   Ed.  and  Alfred 
A.  Bamsour;  Josephus  Houserand 
Monroe  Houser   of  the  first  volun- 
teers;   Josephus     was    afterwards 
First    Lieutenant  of   Company  D, 
First  Begiment. 

The  Wells  family  merit  honor- 
able mention — seven  brothers — all 
in  service.      Thomas,    too  old    for 


-21— 


enlistment,  was  with  the  Senior 
Reserves.  James,  Daniel,  and 
Oliver  went  out  with  the  first  vol- 
unteers. James  was  afterwards 
Captain  of  Company  G,  52nd,  in 
which  Henry  was  a  Lieutenant. 
Wesley  was  a  member  of  Company 
E,  27th,  while  Osborne  was  a  sol- 
dier from  the  Palmetto  State. 

Likewise  seven  of  Gen.  Daniel 
Seagle's  sous  attended  this  Acad- 
emy; George  W.  Seagle,  Captain 
of  Company  B,  23rd  Regiment  in 
which  Thomas  J.  was  First  Lieu- 
tenant; then  there  was  James, 
Monroe,  Andrew,  Macon  and  Mar- 
tin, Confederate  soldiers.  I  go 
beyond  the  record  to  state  their 
two  younger  brothers,  Polk  and 
Frank  were  soldiers  but  never  at- 
tended this  Academy. 

James  F.  Johnson,  of  East  Lin- 
coln attended  this  Academy  in  the 
long  ago.  He  entered  the  service 
with  the  Beattie's  Ford  Rifles  and 
came  out  with  a  Captain's  Commis- 
sion. I  also  mention  that  his  four 
brothers  were  Confederate  soldiers: 
Brigadier-General  Robert  D.  John- 
ston, Captain  William  H.  John- 
ston, Captain  Joseph  F.  Johnston, 
and  Bartlett  S.  Johnston,  of  the 
Confederate  States  Nav.y,  but  they 
were  never  students  of  this 
Academy. 

In  calling  the  names  of  nearly 
one  hundred  students  I  have  men- 
tioned a   Confederate  States   Sen- 


ator, member  of  Confederate  States 
Congress,  two  Major  Generals,  two 
Colonels,  one  Sergeant- Major,  six 
Captains,  five  First  Lieutenants, 
and  three  Second  Lieutenants,  the 
others  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  of  faithfulness  and 
gallantry. 

Daughters  of  the  Confederacy: 
You  are  not  only  conservators  of 
history,  you  are  making  history, 
all  the  time.  Each  act  of  yours 
will  interest  the  generations  that 
follow.  Confidently  believing  this 
I  entrust  to  your  keeping  the 
following: 

1.  Copy  of  original  grant  for 
Town  of  Lincolntou,  1785. 

2.  Charter  Pleasant  Retreat 
Academy,  1813,  and  copy  of 
Amended  Charter,  1819. 

3.  Chapter  46,  Laws  1816,  au- 
thorizing not  exceeding  four  acres 
for  the  use  of  the  Academy. 

4.  Report  Commissioners  June 
4th,  1817,  laying  off  Academy  lot. 

5.  Deed  to  Academy  21st  Au- 
gust, 1821. 

6.  Chapter  51,  Laws,  1908,  au- 
thorizing Trustees  and  Graded 
School  Committee  to  make  lease 
to  Southern  Stars  Chapter. 

7.  I  also  hand  jou  original  deed 
of  lease  of  date  June  20th,  1908. 

8.  The  note  of  $267.30  and  in- 
terest, $15.35,  you  settled  for  Com- 
mittee,     check    drawn     by    your 


-22— 


Treasurer,  and  the  receipt  of  Bank 
for  same. 

9.  The  manuscript  of  the  ad- 
dress delivered  by  General  Eobert 
D.  Johnston  to  the  survivors  of  his 
old  command  in  Lincolnton,  July 
11th,  1908,  in  which  he  commends 
your  undertaking  in  the  following 
words:  "I  had  the  pleasure  yester- 
terday  to  visit  the  old  Academy 
Hall,  which  has  been  dedicated  as 
a  receptacle  of  memorials  of  Con- 
federate veterans.  It  is  a  wiser 
and  happier  way  of  preserving  the 
records  and  history  of  the  war.  I 
cordially  commend  the  example  of 
the  United  Daughters  of  the  Con- 
federacy of  Lincoln  county  to  their 
sister  Associations.  Such  a  recep 
tacle  of  the  relics  of  the  war  will 
be  a  perpetual  object  lesson  to  our 
children  of  their  father's  memo- 
ries. It  will  afford  me  great  pleas- 
ure if  I  can  find  something  of  mine 
worthy  of  a  place  in  this  Memorial 
Hall." 

10.  Roster  of  the  Veterans  at- 
tending the  Re  union  in  Lincolnton 
July  11th,  1908.  This  is  the  gift 
of  the  Wallace  Reinhardt  Chapter, 
Children  of  the  Confederacy.  They 
handed  it  to  me  with  the  request 
that  I  have  each  veteran  register 
his  name.     With  it  I  hand  you  the 


pen  used  on  the  occasion. 

And  lastly,  I  place  in  your 
keeping  this  address  conscious  of 
its  imperfections  and  omissions,  in 
the  hope  that  it  will  inspire  great- 
er love  for  our  grand  old  county  of 
Lincoln,  its  citizens,  and  soldiery. 

The  work  yet  ahead  of  you  is 
great  and  laudable — I  hope  your 
greatest  expectations  will  be  real- 
ized. 

In  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  London, 
the  body  of  the  architect  lies  be- 
neath a  plain  stone  slab.  Upon  a 
tablet  are  the  words:  "If  you 
would  seek  a  monument  look 
around."  The  great  dome  swells 
above,  the  vast  walls  stretch  about. 
In  the  creation  of  his  genius  Chris- 
topher Wren  has  a  fittiug  and 
everlasting  Memorial.  Our  minds 
this  evening  have  dwelt  upon  the 
past.  We  have  remembered  some 
of  the  dead  and  the  living.  I  hope 
you  will  so  adorn  these  walls  with 
the  faces  of  Lincoln  county's 
soldiers,  and  with  the  story  of 
their  services,  that  should  a  stran- 
ger come  within  our  gates  and 
inquire:  "Where  is  your  Confed- 
erate Monument?"  you  can  bring 
him  here  and  answer:  "Look 
around." 


* 


Photomount 

Pamphlet 

Binder 

Gay  lord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

PAT.  JAN  21,  1908 


■  ES°FM-"  CHAPEL 


.00030741644 

FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


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